Disability day shines light on barriers

The Namibian Organisation of Youth with Disability says persistent barriers to employment, education, healthcare and public services continue to exclude people with disabilities. In a statement to mark National Disability Day yesterday, the organisation says people with disabilities remain among the most marginalised groups in the country, facing high unemployment rates and persistent barriers to participation in societies. Organisation spokesperson Otto Gotlieb, citing labour statistics, says while Namibia’s youth unemployment and underutilisation rate stands at 61.4%, people with disabilities account for only 2.3% of the active labour force. “This represents just 12 508 employed individuals out of a national pool of over 546 000 employed citizens. This is not a statistical gap, it is an economic crisis and a blatant violation of the spirit of the Affirmative Action (Employment) Act,” he says. Gotlieb describes the figures as evidence of an economic crisis that continues to lock young people with disabilities out of meaningful employment opportunities, and perpetuates cycles of poverty and dependency. “By locking young, capable minds out of the economy, we condemn an entire generation to vicious, generational cycles of poverty and artificial dependency. “We are not asking for charity, we are demanding our right to work, earn, and contribute to the gross domestic product of our motherland,” he says. Beyond employment challenges, the organisation says inadequate infrastructure continues to limit access to essential services. It says many municipal buses lack wheelchair lifts, making public transport inaccessible for many people with disabilities. Public buildings, clinics and government offices also frequently lack functioning elevators and standard ramps. “Furthermore, we are facing an acute communication crisis. Our public hospitals routinely lack sign language interpreters, forcing deaf youth to compromise their medical privacy or go without healthcare.” Gotlieb says innovation is meaningless if it does not include adaptability for all, and that meaningful inclusion would only be achieved when policies are translated into concrete action that enables people with disabilities to participate fully in the economy and society. The day is observed on 10 June annually under the theme ‘Building an Inclusive Namibia through Empowerment, Innovation, Accessibility and Equal Participation of Persons with Disabilities’. It aims to promote disability-inclusive development, celebrate the achievements of people with disabilities, and advocate for a society free of discrimination. The post Disability day shines light on barriers appeared first on The Namibian .